News Wrap
AGD

The top brass of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-operative Limited (IFFCO) have siphoned off around Rs 16.45 crore, between 2010-11 and 2011-12, in the form of incentives. The loot of farmers’ money has been proceeding unabated under the active patronage of the chairman, the managing director, and other senior officers. The IFFCO employees’ union and officers’ association had raised protests against misappropriation of funds in July 2012, but to no avail. A provision for special incentives was introduced for Board of Directors, both functional and non-functional. The incentives besides monetary payments, extended to immovable property in Delhi, and pension benefits. In many of the bungalow gifts in the National Capital Region, the stamp duty for transaction of conveyance deed, was paid by the seller. The free distribution of houses to top officials, continued along massive incentive payments.

Loans and Farm Prices
Despite the Chief Minister of West Bengal flashing the ‘Kisan Credit Card’, agricultural loans have been low in 2013. The percentage of credit dispersal to priority agricultural sector is likely to slump to 65% in 2013-14, from 80-82% in 2012-13. A large number of farmers are not interested in bank loans as crop insurance is mandatory, if they are to have institutional credit. There has been no compensation for crop insurance premium in West Bengal. Along with a credit squeeze in the banking system, there has been a drop in timely credit disbursal for farmers. The huge gap in demand for credit and disbursals is being filled up by village-level moneylenders and micro-finance institutions. The field prices of tomato and potato are falling because of over-production. Whole-salers are offering 25 paise a kilo for tomato in North Bengal, and Rs 6 a kilo for potato in South Bengal. Farmers in North Bengal are leaving heaps of tomatoes to rot in the fields, because carrying cost to markets, increases losses. The bodo cultivation requires more capital inputs, than the usual paddy crop.

Notices on Farm Land
West Bengal State government proposes to acquire 13.44 hectares of farm land at Tona Mouja, under Kashipur Police Station (South 24 Parganas District). The district administration has issued notices to acquire the land. The notices have been served to the individual farmers, and displayed at the office of the Block Land and Land Reforms Officer (BLLRO). The land is multi-crop, and the farmers are opposed to selling land. Local Trinamul Congress leaders have been threatening the farmers with dire consequences. Poor peasants see no difference between a red regime and a green regime.

Chit Fund Media
An unprecedented crisis has engulfed media publications and TV channels in Bengal, funded by non-banking financial companies, popularly known as ‘‘Chit Fund’’ business, who normally diversify into construction real estate, tourism, hospitality, food-retail and the media. Since March 2013, The Bengal Post daily, TV channels viz Tara Musik, Tara News, South Asia TV, Bengali Sakalbela daily, Urdu magazine Kalam, Bengali weekly Paroma, Urdu Daily Azad Hind, Hindi daily Prabhat Varta, and Guwahati based Seven Sisters Post, all owned by Saradha Group, have closed down. The Bengali Pratyohik Khabor owned by Tower Group, has also closed down. On the basis of complaints of financial fraud, the companies are under investigation.

Central African Republic
The Rebel Seleka coalition has been in power in the Central African Republic, since the last week of March 2013. Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye has named his post-coup government, mostly made up of rebels and members of the former opposition, under a decree read on national radio. Strongman Djotodia, who is the defence minister, vowed to hand over power at the end of the three-year transition, declared after his coup ousting president Francois Bozize, and not contest the 2016 elections. In the largely Christian country, religious tensions have risen since Djotodia, a Muslim became president. After days of looting and chaos, rebel soldiers have secured the capital with a regional African force. The unstable French former colony has a population of about 4.5 million people, has been beset by coups and counter-coups since it won independence in 1960. Opposed to General Bozize’s rule the Seleka Rebels are a collection of armed tribal groups from the country’s North.

USA has condemned the ‘‘illegitimate seizure of power’’ and called for a rapid return to democracy. Earlier about 400 South African soldiers were to sent to train soldiers in the Republic. The South African military have confirmed that they had suffered casualties during ‘‘intense’’ fighting. As rebels seized control of the capital Bangui, France ordered French troops to the Central African Republic, in order to protect 1200 French citizens and diplomats, trapped in the violent conflict. About 350 French soldiers had been deployed, to re-inforce 250 troops already based in the Republic. Amid the running gun battles, the French troops are guarding the airport, in the capital Bangui. This is the second time in 2013, that France has sent troops to west Africa, without a UN resolution. In January 2013, about 3500 French troops were despatched to Mali, to fight Islamist rebels, who were threatening the capital Bamako. Troops from Chad were sent to Mali, to fight alongside French forces.

Filipino Rebels in Borneo

Frontier
Vol. 45, No. 45, May 19-25, 2013

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